Kendo, Kyudo, Karatedo（剣道・弓道・空手道）
Kendo, kyudo and karatedo are traditional Japanese martial arts which today are practiced as sports.（剣道・弓道・空手道は日本の伝統的な武道であるが、現在はスポーツとして親しまれている）
In recent years all three have become extremely popular internationally as well.（最近では外国人の愛好者も非常に増加している）
Kendo is a kind of fencing in which the fencer uses a "sword" for protection and to attack his opponent.（剣道は、剣で身を守り、敵をたおす道である）
While kendo's origins go back to the seventh or eighth century, it was around the sixteenth century that it developed rapidly and various styles, or schools, appeared.（7～8世紀ごろから行われ、16世紀ごろに急速に発展して、いろいろな流派が生まれた）
From the seventeenth century, it has been stressed that kendo involves spiritual as well as technical refinement, and under the influence of Buddhism and Confucian teachings and, especially, Zen Buddhism, kendo became associated with moral training.（17世紀以降、剣道は技術とともに精神を練ることに重きがおかれ、仏教や儒教、特に禅宗の影響によって、道徳的に修練されるようになった）
Previously various woods were used for the swords, but in the eighteenth century the use of bamboo became established. It was also at this time that the protective gear (face-mask, body-protector, gauntlets, and tuille) that are still used today, were devised.（昔は木刀を多く用いたが、18世紀に竹刀と面・胴・小手・たれなどの防具が考案され、今日に至っている）
The fundamental fencing touches are cuts to the face, hands and body and stabs to the throat. In a bout, the fencers use various movement sequences, practical techniques and positions.（面打ち・小手打ち・胴打ち・突き（喉頭部）を技の基本とし、いろいろな連続わざ、応用わざや構え方がある）
A match is usually decided on the best of three bouts. A score is awarded when at least two of three judges recognize a touch.（競技は通常3本勝負で行われ、3人の審判員のうち2人以上が有効な打ち・突きを認めれば1本となる）